The Magic of Mussels

Each mussel variety depends on specific fish species to propogate. "Baby mussels" or glochidia are released into the water and clamp onto the gills of specific types of fish (each mussel species prefers different species of fish) which spread the mussels upstream. In the last century many of these fish species have been fished too heavily or dams interrupt their yearly migrations upstream. Many of these dams, culvert and spillways are no longer needed by industry or even are falling apart yet they continue to block fish migrations and hence mussel recovery from happening.

Yet organizations like the Division of Ecological Restoration in Massachusetts are working to change this by removing old dams to improve water quality and seeing the fish return in surprisingly little time. Another example in Massachusetts is the Mystic River Watershed Association near Boston that has drastically improved water quality, added fish ladders and seen the river herring populations respond amazingly well. It is a success story in a densely urbanized watershed demonstrating yet again that people can live and work alongside thriving ecosystems. With the return of the fish, hopefully the mussels will return, too.

Sometimes just a single action can make a huge difference. As an example, a fisherman in Winchester, MA happened to notice several fish he didn't recognize in the spring struggling at the base of a dam in the center of town. He looked them up and realized they were river herring trying to migrate upstream, but were blocked by the dam. With this realization, he encouraged the town to put in a fish ladder making it possible for river herring to get to Horn Pond upstream in Woburn for the first time in over 100 years! With more fish, there is hope for more mussels. With more, thriving mussel populations, that means cleaner water and even better habitat for more fish. Fish and mussels work together to make our rivers, lakes and streams come alive.

Sometimes it's easy to think you are alone on the lookout for these amazing creatures, but as it turns out, that is far from true! People are out there working quietly all around us helping to be stewards of this land and it's waterways. While biking along the Minuteman Bike Trail in MA, I stumbled across this sign. One side was painted with mussels in a stream and the other side with what I believe are river herring (the host fish for this mussel). The sign was in the Mystic River Watershed where unbelievable strides have been taken to recover these remarkable fish and the mussels that depend on them.